Book 1: Spirit
by Xuin
Summary: A story seen through the eyes of a little blind girl as the Avatar is called to help those of the other world with the help of his friends. Story is Toph oriented and it is going to be [TophxKatara]
1. Chapter 1: The Blind Bandit

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything to do with this premise. I do not plan on making any kind of profit from this story.

Well anyway this is my first story ever, my first attempt at writing any type of story and I hope people who read this will like. Also this is a femme slash fic, yuri, Shoujo-ai, lesbian interaction, so if no likey don't read, seriously. Oh and as for the whole coupling, it won't really get to anything serious for a while cause even though lolli is legal, hehe, I have a little problem with the age, c'mon 12. But trust me it'll get there. Also for like the first 2 chapters is going to be heavily based on the episodes before it changes to my actual story and it's also to show my writing style so people can get a feel before the story pics up. I'm hoping to get a chapter done once a week. Oh and I might need a editor so e-mail if interested. Well on with the story.

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**Chapter 1: The Blind Bandit**

**_This is so a waste of time_**. Once again repeating the same train of thought she had for the past hour. Her idiot of a teacher was drabbling on and on about the same basics of earth bending to her as if she was a small child. **_Well this wouldn't be so bad_**, she thought considering she really wasn't all that old but that wasn't what was bothering her, **_if he wasn't still explaining this to me since last week_**. It's not like she was a incompetent earth bender, on the contrary she was quite skilled, and she could guess where her teacher and parents were coming from, treating her as if she was some fragile object and would break under any harsh touch. They didn't really know how to handle her, never really had to deal with a situation as…unique as this. Her name was Toph Bei Fong and she was blind. But, she had learned long ago that even though she couldn't see with her eyes, she could see through the very earth itself. Her teacher, and certainly not her parents, did not know of this.

Being of a very wealthy family, they hired an expensive tutor to teach her personally the basics of earth bending and apparently that was all, considering he was still going on about whatever it was he was going on about now with demonstrations **_Oh joy_**, they were willing to let her learn.

**_Finally_**, she thought as her tutor finished what he was doing, a couple of demonstrations later to show what she "learned", they were on their way back to the inside of the estate. As she entered she told her parents that she was going to rest because she felt "tired". Once in her room she pulled a belt out of her little hide away by bending the wall next to her bed and made her way out her window, almost running to her destination to catch the next boat, because she couldn't very well miss her match today. On that note, a smile formed on her lips.

* * *

Toph entered the arena once her alias was called, The Blind Bandit, and introduced as the current champion. Her opponent was a guy named The Boulder. **_Greeeat, another overly vain opponent that likes to speak in the third person_**, she thought as he was droning on about emotional reservations and blah blah blah. "Sounds to me your scared Boulder!" she mocked. The Boulder's eye twitched, not that she could really tell, "The Boulder is over his conflicted feelings and now he's ready to bury you in a rockalanche!" The Boulder announced with much conviction and posing. "Whenever you're ready The Pebble! Hahahahaha!" she taunted yet again trying, and very much succeeding, to get him angry. She could feel his thunderous movements vibrating all across the arena as he raised his foot ready to stomp the ground, hoping to end this quickly with one powerful earth bending move. As his foot came down, almost like slow motion to her "eyes", she had already launched an attack of her own. Said attack was nothing more than moving the rock where his foot will eventually land and when it did The Boulder was singing soprano and all the guys in the stadium winced just a little.

Deciding to finish the match, she launched three rock columns from the ground to ram him into the wall outside the arena. **_I love to win_**, she thought as the announcer proclaimed that anyone who could defeat her, The Blind Bandit respectfully, would win a bag of gold pieces. "What? No one dares to face her?" The announcer asked with disbelief hanging on his words. "I will." Said, as far as she could tell, a little boy. "Do people really want to see two little girls fighting out here?" She taunted. "I don't really want to fight you, I want to talk to you." The boy pleaded. "Booo, no talking! Ow!" "Don't you boo at him." said two of the audience members. **_He sure has an obnoxious voice_**, she thought, referring to the booer. After which she began her attack by trying to launch the kid into the air but he just jumped off the rising earth, and didn't come down. **_How the? Where'd he go?_** dismay and frustration marring her features. A couple of seconds later she felt him land off to the side. "Somebody is a little light on his feet, what's your fighting name? The Fancy Dancer?" she taunted trying to get the little upstart upset enough to make some sort of mistake. She decided to take this opportunity to raise the ground from under the boy's feet again, hoping to catch him off guard and knock him out of the ring but the boy once again jumped up and out of the way and hovered around her while she tried to figure out where he'll be coming from. "Please wait." The boy said as he landed, she let a small smile grace her lips, "There you are." And as she was speaking she raised a sizable chunk of rock from out of the ground and hurled it at her opponent. Instead of the thud and cries of pain she was hoping for, all she felt was a strong wind as the rock she threw was forced back past her and that same unnaturally strong wind force her to the ground and out of the ring.

Feeling humiliated at the quick loss she was handed, she got up and was heading out of the arena when that boy came running up to her, "Please listen, I need an earth bending teacher and I think it's supposed to be you." The boy tried to explain but she was having none of that. **_Why that little_**, she thought furiously. " Whoever you are just leave me alone." "Wait!" but she gave no indication she heard as she left the arena.

* * *

As she was walking around the grounds the next day, trying to alleviate some of the frustration of yesterday, she felt him just outside the walls of the compound with apparently his two other companions. As they landed from going over the wall, she lightly stomped the ground making the earth raise up fast enough to launch them into the air. A few seconds later she heard them land in some bushes, one right on the ground. As the group got up she walked over to them and asked in a demanding voice, "What are you doing here twinkle toes?" "How did you know it was me?" the boy from yesterday's match asked. "Don't answer to twinkle toes, it ain't manly!" The other boy from the audience said. "You're the one whose bag matches his belt." Said their female companion in a very lovely, apparently annoyed, voice. **_She has a nice voice, wait where'd that come from?_** Slightly shaking her head to clear such thoughts.

"Well, a crazy king told me I had to find an earth bender who listens to the earth, and then I had a vision in a magic swamp and…" "What Aang is trying to say," the female of the group cut off, "is he's the Avatar and if he doesn't master earth bending soon he can't defeat the Fire Lord." Raising her hand up to keep her from saying more, she voiced irritably, "Not my problem. Now leave before I call the guards." She then began walking away. "Look," the other male of the group began, "we all have to do our part to win the war and yours is to teach Aang earth bending." He finished matter-of-factly. **_They don't listen too well do they_**, she thought as she stopped. "Guards," she began in helpless voice, "guards help." She smiled a little to herself as she could hear them scurrying away to not get caught. "Toph, what happened?" asked one of the two approaching guards. "I thought I heard someone," still in the same helpless tone, "I got scared." she finished rather convincingly. "You know your father doesn't want you wandering the grounds without supervision Toph." The other guard reprimanded. They then helped escort her back into the house.

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**_Boooooring_**, she thought irritated as her parents discussed her training, or lack there of, with her instructor, making sure she was taking it easy and not doing anything too "dangerous". **_At least this day won't get any worse_**, and as this train of thought continued a guard then came in to announce that the Avatar had arrived. Her right eye twitched.

Toph was angry and very frustrated. Not only did he, this Aang person, have the nerve to show up and stay for dinner, but he was also going to be staying the night. As she sat there fuming, her father, who saw her soup being set down, said, "Blow on it, it's too hot for her." "Allow me." said their "guest". Apparently whatever he did to cool her soup was worthy of admiration from the rest of the people at the table. Her agitation grew.

Then he started to go on about needing an earth-bending teacher. Dread started to slowly overcome her, as she already knew where this conversation was going. Thinking quickly, as he directed the topic onto her, she did a little earth bending to "kick" Aang in the leg to shut him up. Satisfied with the yelp of pain, a carefree expression to show she didn't know what was going on, and all was right again. Of course the discussion didn't stop there, it picked up again with her father dismissing her as frail and weak. While hearing him say such things wasn't new, it still hurt. Of course the boy would then start discussing her abilities again but before he could finish she decided to bring his face crashing into his bowl via earth bending. Again satisfied with the resulting splash of the soup, eating her rice with a carefree expression once again, hoping that it would be the end of the matter and Aang would get the hint.

Of course it wasn't as she heard him sneeze not a moment later, and her bowl leaving the table to occupy her face instead. **_Why that little_**, "What's your problem!?" she yelled angrily. "What's your problem?!" Aang countered right back. As they stood there glaring at each other from across the table, Toph's mother decided to defuse the situation at hand, "Well, shall we move to the living room for dessert then?"

* * *

While everyone else was enjoying dessert, Toph was silently fuming in her room. She couldn't believe how close this boy, Aang, was to exposing her secret. **_Of course_**, she thought reluctantly, **_he doesn't really know it is a secret_**. With that silent resignation in mind, while everyone was finishing up and going to bed, she headed toward the room where Aang and the two others were staying.

Apparently she snuck up on him, if the surprised yelp was any indication. "Relax," she began, "I'm sorry about dinner. Lets call a truce, ok?" after a few seconds she felt Aang shift into a more relaxed position, she then started to walk away leading him outside.

She hoped up on the ledge of the little bridge they had as she decided where to start her story. "Even though I was born blind," she began as she hoped off from the ledge, "I never had a problem seeing," she then looked towards the ground, "I see with earth bending. It's kind of like seeing with my feet. I feel the vibrations in the earth and I see where everything is. You, that tree, and even those ants." Looking confused about where the ants were, Aang was fascinated. "That's Amazing!" Aang said to emphasize his apparent joy. "My parents don't understand," she went on, a sad note ringing with her words, "they've always treated me like I was helpless." "Is this why you became the Blind Bandit?" "Ya." Looking a little lost, Aang then went on to say, "Then why stay here where you're not happy?" Turning away to hide her face, she replied, "They're my parents, where else am I supposed to go?" "You could come with us." Smiling a little to herself at such a simple answer, "Ya, you guys get to go wherever you want, no one telling you what to do, that's the life." She said, sounding as if to convince herself that's what she should do, "It's just not my life." She finished, her head hanging a little lower as an awkward silence descended.

Something wasn't right. People were coming here and judging by their path and movements, it was to organized to be coincidence. "We're being ambushed!" she yelled with sudden clarity. She ran, leading Aang with her to what she believed to be a safe place to hide. They completely stopped when the announcer from the arena cut off their path. Going into a defensive stance and all attention focused on that one intruder, Toph forgot there were more and before the thought ever came to mind, solid steel cages were dropped on top of them, trapping them in. "I think you kids owe me some money." Their kidnapper said very sternly.

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Toph couldn't believe it. She was outrage at their kidnapper's audacity to pull such a stunt and even more so at herself for getting caught at all. He probably thought he was so smug for his achievement, probably standing there, smiling a victorious smile in her direction. "You think you're so tough," she began heatedly, "why don't you come up here so I can smack that grin of your face!" she finished, slightly winded. "I'm not smiling." He, Xin Fu, replied very seriously from the ground.

"Toph!!" her father's voice rang throughout the arena. She let a small smile grace her lips at the thought that he cared enough to get her. "Here's your money, now let them go." Aang's male friend demanded. She then felt her cage lower and the underside open as she fell out. She then ran to her father and they started leaving the arena.

"Toph!" she was stopped by Aang's female friend's worried voice. "There's to many of them. We need an earth bender, we need you." The girl pleaded even more. She almost felt compelled by her voice, so full of worry, alone but she couldn't without showing her father how she secretly lived her life. Then her father started talking, "My daughter is blind. She is blind, tiny, helpless, and fragile. She cannot help you." He finished very sure of himself, not knowing it hurt her to hear him say such things with her there. **_To hell with secrets_**, she thought angrily. "Yes, I can" she said in a stern voice that left no room for argument. Then she left her father and teacher and headed to the arena where Aang was still being held.

"Let him go!" she shouted to the small group of opponents. They stopped to look at her, "I beat you all before and I'll do it again!" she finished. "The Boulder takes his shoe with that comment." She then felt one of her seven opponents toss the cage holding Aang aside. All, save Xin Fu, came charging at her. Their combined, unorganized movements felt like thunder roaring across the sky. They were so in trouble. She raised her hands, causing the entire ring to start slowly trembling, becoming movable. She then brought her arms in using all the energy built up into moving the arena crashing down into it in a display of power as debris and dust flew forward. The vibrations and resulting shockwave knocked her adversaries away and covered them in a cloud of dust. She then walked in after them.

Stomping around and clearing the dust cloud was her first opponent. She could feel him, as he noticed her, slide his foot across the ground in front of him, the earth as he moved it to his will, and as rock was shot like a stream of water towards her. She took a step to the side effectively avoiding the attack, then with a solid hand motion she steadily had the ground to his side jut out straight onto his ribs and sending him flying across the arena to impact the wall on the other side with a satisfying smack as rock gave way to the force of his impact.

She went over to her next opponent where she could feel him crawling around apparently trying to get a feel of where he was. She felt him jerk a little in her direction, guess he found her if the two flying hand size boulders he tossed at her was any indication. Merely grabbing them and shoving them to the side, she kicked the ground causing the rock underneath her current opponent, as he was falling back down from his attack, to come up and slam into his chest, tossing him back into the air where she did it twice more before he was tossed out of the ring right where she felt her last opponent start to get up. Satisfied yet again as she heard their bodies make agonizing contact.

Her next opponent decided to take the initiative and find her, of course moving around underground she could've felt him a mile away. As her recent foe came out he hurled a chunk of rock at her backside, turning as the projectile flew she effortlessly caught the rock and chucked it back with greater force sending her latest opposition straight through the arena and out the other side and into her last two opponents. She smiled to herself as she went to where she could feel her next two punching bags getting out of the dust cloud.

As she came out she could feel them stop, so she started to move to the side which they did as well. "Ahhhhhh!" came the cry of yet another opponent as he came at her from above, she was wondering where he went when she couldn't feel him walking around anymore. The ambush might have worked if he didn't yell as he was attacking. Oh well, moving her foot more to the side with some swift hand movements, she caused the ground from under them to spin until she heard them crash into the ground as they were hit body first by their own ally. After forcibly clearing the field of their bodies she went to search for her last opponent. Until now he didn't even budge. **_Well_**, she thought, **_better to look him eye to eye... figuratively anyway._**

With one hand motion, she cleared the dust cloud and faced Xin Fu from a couple of yards away. She felt the vibrations of him popping the joints in his neck; she guessed he was trying to look cool and nonchalant about facing her. To counter she collected the flem in her throat and then hawked it to the side. Apparently Xin Fu took that as a sign to start things as he tossed and kicked rock after rock at her. They impacted against the earth walls she raised and when she felt them stop she sent one side of the wall tearing across the arena to Xin Fu causing him to jump to avoid it. Xin Fu used the momentum of his jump, while still in mid air, to reach down and lob another chunk of rock in her direction at a much faster speed. As it got closer, she turned her body to the side and felt the wind from the object brush gently across her face as it zoomed by harmlessly, she then whipped her body back around with her arm shooting out in a forward motion resulting with a crushingly devastating blow to Xin Fu's mid section from the spire of rock she caused to impact him from below. She could then feel him land brutally near where her father and teacher where watching from the seats.

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So here she was, in front of her father. Secrets no longer hidden, ready to explain herself and her intentions. She felt nervous. "Dad," she began, "I know it's probably hard for you to see me this way, but the obedient, helpless, little blind girl you think I am just isn't me." She paused to collect her thoughts and then started speaking again but with more conviction in her voice, "I love fighting, I love being an earth bender and I'm really really good at it." Her head dropped a little with the thought she was about to voice. "I know I kept my life secret from you but you were keeping me secret from the whole world. You were doing it to protect me but I'm twelve years old and I never had a real friend." She paused again to let all this sink in for her parents. "So now that you seen who I really am, I hope that doesn't change the way you feel about me." She finished, waiting anxiously for her father's response. "Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you Toph," she felt a wave of relief pass through her, then he continued, "It has me realize something." "It has?" she asked with a smile. "Yes, I let you have far to much freedom, from now on you will be cared for and guarded twenty four hours a day." Her smile fell, her mouth felt dry, and it felt as if something was slowly squeezing her heart. "But dad!" she yelled, trying to get him to change his mind. "We are doing this for your own good Toph." Her mom said as if it made everything ok. She couldn't believe her parents, she couldn't believe that they were actually thinking what they're doing was good for her. Hanging her head in defeat her father continued, "Please escort the avatar and his friends out, they are no longer welcome here." She could feel them walking away, leaving her here. "I'm sorry Toph." She heard Aang say sadly from the doorway. "I'm sorry too, goodbye Aang." She could feel a tear fall across her face as they all left.

She was then escorted to her room. The guards stationed themselves outside the door thinking she would go to bed. Putting on a new set of clothing and packing the little amount of stuff she thought she might need, she jumped out her window and quickly dispatched the guards out her window by sinking their bodies into the ground at the neck and then quickly created an opening in the wall surrounding her once home. She broke out into a sprint where she could feel them still loading up their stuff before they would leave.

As she came running up to the group, she heard Aang shout out to her, "Toph, what are you doing here?" Stopping and catching her breath she replied, "My dad changed his mind, he said I'm free to travel the world." She smiled through her lie. "Well we better get out of here before your dad changes his mind again." She heard the other male of the group say. She thought so too as she believed it wouldn't be long until her father found out she was gone. "Good idea." She said. "Your going to be a great teacher Toph." She heard Aang say. She felt happy to hear that as an idea came to her, "Speaking of which, I want to show you something." "Ok." Aang said as he jumped from his perch to the ground. As soon as she felt him land, She hit the ground causing the earth under Aang's feet to rise dramatically and send him flying into a nearby tree. She smiled at the grunt of pain as Aang landed on a branch, "Now we're even." She felt happier than she ever felt in along time, but there was just one more thing, "Um, I'll take the belt back." She held out her hand waiting for her belt to be placed in it. Instead she felt it hit her not a moment later as it impacted on the side of her head, "Ow." She said in a bit of a daze from the ground. "…Sorry."


	2. Chapter 2: Confrontations

**Disclaimer:** I do not own in anyway having to do with this series nor do I intend to make any kind of profit.

Yay chapter 2 is up. Kinda late but I was trying to figure out how I was going to explain things a little…..or something like that. Anyway I got a good number of people who actually clicked on this story, I would like more reviews. Hopefully positive but hey can't please everyone, but seriously don't like don't read. Again this is a Shoujo-ai relationship meaning girl girl. I'm hoping to update this every Friday but I'll see how that goes. Oh, and starting chap 3 my notes will be at the bottom of story. Oh and you should read Well enough of me and on with the show. Enjoy

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_**Chapter 2: New Confrontations**_

Toph was outraged. She couldn't believe they thought it was all her fault. It was Appa, he was the reason those Fire Nation girls knew where they were. The audacity of that girl accusing her of doing nothing, she carried her own weight; she did her share of the work when it came to herself. It hurt too; it hurt when Katara made fun of her blindness. It hurt her more than it ever did in her life and she didn't no why it did so. So here she was walking by herself only carrying for herself. That's what she wanted, right? Oh and to top it all off some person was following her, so she paused and could feel whomever it was hide behind a rock. Bad move. She forcibly shoved the rock into whoever it was that was hiding behind it.

"Oomph!" she heard the person, him, grunt in pain. "That really hurt my tail bone." He went on to complain.

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After her guest, wanted or not, set up a small fire and some pots, she relaxed a little and sat down. After a couple of minutes of silence she heard him pour something into a cup and lean over to offer it to her.

"Here is your tea." He offered politely. After a few moments she accepted the offer and slowly nursed the drink. It was pretty good she conceded.

"You seem a little to young to be traveling alone." He stated, breaking the silence. Oh here we go, she thought irritated at everyone's apparent need to take care of her.

"You seem a little to old." She countered right back. "Hahaha. Perhaps I am." He said as if it just accrued to him. Maybe, maybe he wasn't such a bad old man.

"I know what you're thinking," she began just a little solemnly, "I look like I can't handle being by myself." "I wasn't thinking that." He responded seriously. "You wouldn't even let me pour my own cup of tea." She said a little forcibly. "I poured your tea because I wanted to and for no other reason." He finished with a tone that left no room for argument. He just might not be so bad.

"People see me and think I'm weak," she began as silence fell between them again, "they want to take care of me but I can take care of myself by myself." Lightly hanging her head again at recent memories her statement brought up. She could also feel his body slump a little too at her words.

"You sound like my nephew, always thinking you need to do things on your own without anyone's support," he began a bit wiry himself, "there is nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you." She sat there for a moment letting his words sink in when he spoke up again as if he just realized something. "Not that I love you! I just met you." He finished with a bit of humor in his voice. She laughed.

"So where is your nephew?" She asked after she calmed down.

"I've been tracking him actually." He replied with a bit of sadness. "Is he lost?" "Yes, a little bit." The old man then sighed a little as he continued, "His life has recently changed and he's going through very difficult times, he's trying to figure out who he is and he went away."

"Sooo now you're following him?" she asked, more of statement than a question.

"I know he doesn't want to be around right now but if he needs me I'll be there." Silence fell as she thought over his words.

"Your nephew," she began, "is very lucky, even if he doesn't know it." She then looked up and directed him with a sincere smile. "Thank you." She said very kindly. "My pleasure," He began is reply, "sharing tea with a fascinating stranger is one of life's true delights."

"No," she corrected, "thank you for what you said, it helped me."

"I'm glad." He replied happily. After which she picked up her bag and started to walk away.

"Oh," she paused in her steps and looked back, "and about your nephew, maybe you should tell him you need him too." She then turned back and started walking toward the area she could feel a small group of people converging and since the area was practically deserted, she guessed that's where she'd find her friends. She smiled at that thought.

* * *

Well, she was right about where her friends are. So was one of the girls that were chasing them. The old man and some other person she didn't know are there too. Oh, and everyone seemed to be in one big free-for-all match. Oh well, she was always one to get here hands a little dirty.

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**_Finally, today was such a long day_**, Toph thought as she fell on her mat to get some much needed rest. The fire from the small camp they set up was slowly burning down the small amount of wood used for it and the warmth from it dying out with it. Yes she help set up, even though she still didn't like it but she had to admit it had its perks. For one it gave her a "work well done" type of feel but what she thought was more important was the fact Katara wasn't mad at her anymore. She even complemented her. She gave a warm smile to that memory. Her smile dropped as she kept thinking back. It was sad with what happened to that old man. She really hope he was alright.

"Goodnight Toph." Katara whispered near her, breaking her train of thought.

"'Night," she replied, "sugar queen." She could feel Katara turn to look at her but she ignored it and went to sleep with her small victory, smiling as she did so.

* * *

Today was a very eventful day. Aang was finally getting the hang of earth bending and she got to humiliate him in the process. With her as his teacher, he'll master earth bending in no time. She also thought those were some really good nuts. Oh and no Sokka, that was a really good one.

With that accomplished, they were on their way to Ba Sing Se. Oh how she wished they didn't have to go there. Oh, apparently her wish was about to be granted.

"Stop." She said. After she could feel everyone pause to look at her she continued, "There's something coming…I think" "And what's that supposed to mean?" She heard Sokka ask. "I don't know, but I really think something is heading this way." She replied very seriously.

She really didn't know how to explain it, it was like something was moving but it didn't create vibrations for her to feel and pinpoint. Actually, from what she could tell, it stopped the ground. She couldn't feel any vibrations from where it was coming from. It really was starting to freak her out a little and Aang shouting in distress really didn't help matters.

"Look out!" she heard Aang yell. She followed where they were moving.

"What's happening?" she asked as they were running. "It's a Spirit." Aang answered.

"Spirit?" "Yeah," Katara answered this time, "and it's big, very big and looks like it's angry."

She paused to turn and raise a wall in front of where she couldn't feel it, hoping to slow it down. She could then feel as the wall came down. **_It really must be big_**, she thought with a hint of panic as she turned to continue running.

"Wait!" she shouted with realization, "If it broke through a wall it must be solid so we can hit it!" She turned again but this time accompanied by Aang as they both sent the earth in front of them to slam into the creature. She felt relieved as her assumption was true as she could feel the ground again from where that thing was as it, from what she could tell, was forcibly sent into the air. The earth stilled once more, probably from it coming down from its impromptu flight.

"Did we win?" she heard Sokka say as he came out from hiding behind a rock.

"It looks knocked out," Aang replied, "but I'm going to check." She felt Aang move to the stilled area. **_Interesting_**, she thought. Even though the thing stilled the earth and she couldn't feel it's movements, she could still feel Aang's even though they were a bit dulled.

"So, you said it was a Spirit?" she asked after it was apparent it wasn't attacking anymore.

"Yeah but…" Aang replied but with uncertainty marring his words.

"But…" she repeated. "But it doesn't look like any kind of Spirit I've seen before. It's more…twisted" Aang said as if, uncertain how to really describe its appearance.

"You've seen more?" She couldn't believe they might have to deal more with these things.

"Not like this though, even the one from that village that was under attack. This one is different." Katara explained

"You are right." Said someone else or something but whatever he was definitely wasn't there a little while ago.

She turned and went into a defensive stance along with everyone else. Just like the beast that just attacked them she couldn't feel him or it.

"I have come to request the help of the Avatar." It demanded in a very sincere tone. After a few moments she could feel Aang relax and stand properly. As did everyone else, so she decided to do so also.

"It's okay everyone," Aang began, "I believe we can trust him." She could then feel Aang walking towards him and everyone else as well. With a bit of reluctance she followed as well. She was a little put off as she couldn't feel them one by one anymore but she kept on ahead from where she felt them last. After a couple more steps she could feel her body, for lack of better words, shift and turn but not. She could then feel her friends once more. The ground felt funny though. Everything she felt through the earth…echoed. It was like everyone and everything was all around her but in one place. Very weird. Kind of gave her a headache but at least it wasn't so bad she couldn't feel and know where everyone really was. The, and she was guessing here, Spirit they were following still stilled things around him, but not frozen like before. More like still the echoing effect but she still couldn't pinpoint his exact location.

"We're definitely not home anymore." Sokka uttered, stating what everyone had on their minds.


	3. Chapter 3: Ok, so now what?

**Disclaimer**: I do not own this series in any way, form, or fashion nor do I plan to make any kind of profit off of this...other than making people happy.

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Chapter 3: Ok, so now what?

Ok, so they were in another world altogether. No that isn't quite right, they were somewhere new but it was a part of the world they came from but just its spiritual counterpart. Actually it was more complicated than that but it's all she could really get that made almost any kind of sense.

So here she was, lying in a bed not unlike the ones from whence they came, sharing a room with Katara and hoping this was all some weird dream incurred by something hitting her on the head. She let out a sigh. **_It'd be to good to be true_**, she thought rather reluctantly. This place was still giving her a headache but she was hoping it'd go away with some time and sleep. Of course hearing Katara's rhythmic breathing as she slept next to her help relax her. She still didn't know why Katara had this kind of effect on her but she wasn't about to question it at the moment as it helped sooth her mind. Sleep quickly overcame her.

* * *

"Toph, are you still sleeping?" She heard Katara state more than question as she roused her from her slumber. As she started to rise from the bedding she heard Katara gasp slightly. Shaking her, she tried to get her hair down but all that accomplished to do was kick up all the dirt around her in bed.

"Uhh, how about you go get your bath things so you and I can go to those hot springs I was told about by our hosts?" Katara suggested and in reply she let her head fall back onto the bed to try and get some more sleep in. Well, she tried anyway and not a moment sooner she felt the covers being pulled off her small form and the cold air, well she was pretty certain this place had air, bite at her exposed skin. Katara may have won this round but she was far from beaten.

* * *

She sighed in a very content manner. She had to admit the water was very relaxing. At the moment she was gently floating around on her back in the shallow side of the spring. It wasn't like she was afraid of venturing to deeper waters it was just that she couldn't swim…well. This was also information she wasn't about to share with everyone else.

After a few more moments of silent relaxing her slow floating movements were halted as her head came into contact with something soft and subtle. She heard Katara 'eep' and what the top of her head was rested upon quickly move out of the way. After a few more moments to register what just happened, she had the decency to blush.

"Ok," she heard Katara begin, "I think that's enough relaxing for now, so we should get dried up and back to the others."

"Uh, yeah sure." She replied a little dazed. As she stood she felt Katara lightly grasp her hand to help lead her out. She may have been proud but she accepted the help because she couldn't navigate through water very well, something she told Katara about. As they were getting out and dressed she couldn't shake the thought of how she touched, however inadvertently, Katara in a very…intimate area. She couldn't stop blushing.

* * *

"So, you said you needed my help?" Aang asked. They were currently seated around a table like object, enjoying a light snack with their host, Sozun, and waited for his answer. It's not everyday someone comes to ask for help in a different plane of existence so needless to say they were just a bit curious as why they were here.

"I have brought you here to help fight a war." He replied calmly as he took a sip of…something.

"What!" Sokka exclaimed, "But we have our own war to fight!"

"I understand this but the one we are facing is a much bigger threat to everything, not just one nation conquering all but an outcome of total destruction to both our worlds and as the Avatar he has an obligation to both your world and the spiritual, my world." He said sternly as the sound of his cup hit the table a little forcibly.

"What do I have to do?" Aang asked seriously, breaking the silence.

"You can't be serious, we only have so much time before the comet arrives and…" "I know Sokka," Aang cut off, "but like he said I have a duty here too."

"But what I would like to know is why you need Aang's help?" Katara asked.

"We are having trouble holding off the Horexes. Unlike from where you came, we cannot bend and neither can our enemy and after seeing you handle the one that managed to slip through, you will all be a great advantage."

"Horexes?" everyone voiced at the same time.

"Yes, that twisted, mangled creature you saw yesterday is our current enemy." Sozun explained. He also went on about its origins, something about negative feelings and the massive death caused by a war of great magnitude. So in short, it was their fault and 'their' meaning the Fire Nation. The whole destruction thing, well all that is are those creatures wanting to devour all spirit and flesh they could. Good news through all of this is that they can be hurt by physical means, which is why Sozun wanted our help because they couldn't do much against them except slow them down.

"Great," Sokka said a bit sarcastically, "another adventure we find ourselves in and oh I bet we'll learn some life lessons in the process." An awkward silence fell. "What? I was just trying to lighten the mood."

* * *

The next day they were told to head west to a barrier post where they would get further instruction as to what they would be doing. They were currently riding on Appa's back at the moment. Toph felt Katara come to the back of the saddle to sit with her.

"So," she began to ask, since it has been on her mind for sometime, "what does everything look like here?" tilting her head up towards Katara she waited for an answer.

"Well, it's kinda hard to explain." Katara said as she took a moment to think about it. "It's like everything is see through and isn't. I feel like I might end up slipping through ground at any given moment and it's harder to bend the water here. Also there isn't a cloud or sun to be seen, no moon either yet there's light and it gets dark. It's all very surreal."

"I know what you mean," she picked up, "vibrations don't feel the same here and I can't even feel these spirits at all." It was silent for a little while as the wind blew across their faces.

"So what does Sozun and them look like?" Toph asked.

"Oh well he looks like a regular man, just his face has some weird markings and he's very tall. He's also has that see through visage" Katara answered.

"Well I hope this doesn't take to long, it's not like we have another war to fight." Toph said with small smile gracing her face. Katara laughed lightly at the little joke.

"Yeah me too."

"We're here!" Aang shouted a moment later.

* * *

As they landed another spirit, who introduced himself as Korin, greeted them. Katara described him as a giant bird like man. This place kept getting weirder and apparently, from the stories she was told, Aang was here before.

"Please follow me." Korin said while walking away.

"Hey Aang." She called out while walking.

"What is it Toph?" Aang turned to ask. "You've been here before right?" "Yeah but not like this."

"What do you mean?" she asked with general confusion.

"Well last time I was here I was in a spirit like form so everything was different than how it is now since we still have our physical forms."

"Oh ok." She said and sighed a little to herself. **_That was a big help_**, she thought rather defeated in trying to figure this place out a little better. She then felt everyone stop. She guessed they made it to their destination.

* * *

"We are going to have to let down the barrier to rest our erectors," Korin started explaining to them in what he called their 'war room', "and during this time the enemy will get word shortly when it goes down. While it is down we need you to take this cavern around this small formation of mountains to reach their encampment on the other side. These aren't mindless creatures they are smart and good at what they do and they always attack in massive groups so be careful." He finished to let what was said sink in.

"So what are we supposed to do once we're inside." Sokka asked.

"Somewhere inside the structure there is a collective will, basically a mind, from where they come to be spawned. Destroying it will cause the ones from it to go into a frenzy and literally tear themselves into nothingness."

"What does it look like." Aang was the one this time to raise a question.

"We don't know," Korin answered seriously, "Each one we've seen have been much different than the previous but you'll know when you find it."

Before any more questions could be raised a horn sounded off in the distance.

"it is almost time, I need to get you four to your departure points."

As they were leaving once more Sokka asked another question, "How many of these 'wills' are there anyway?"

"Roughly," Korin paused to think about it, "hundreds." Everyone faltered in their steps at the answer.

"Guess we won't being going home anytime soon." Sokka voiced.

* * *

**AN**: Well there you go another chapter done and on time 0.0 go me XP. Anyway hope you enjoyed. The action for a while will be more stealthy and avoidance that much fighting as they'll later come to realize how much of them there actually are. If anyone got any suggestions for any part of this war throughout Book 1 I'll be happy to hear them, cause I need more ideas. The hot spring scene was inspired by 'Bath Time' by AloofAndAndrogynous so go and check out . thank you again for taking the time to read. Oh and if you get the joke about life lessons u gets an internet cookie, it tastes just like spam. Till next week


	4. Chapter 4: Complications

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything to do with this series, or planning any kind of profit.

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_**Chapter 4: Complications**_

Ok, they made it to the cavern, hopefully unseen. The things they were fighting against were above them though. A lot of them were above them. How did she know? Well she couldn't feel anything. If it weren't for the fact she could still feel her friends, it'd be like she truly was blind. This whole thing was really starting to get on her nerves. She felt Katara gently pull on her hand to change her direction. After the first couple of times of running into stalagmites and an occasional wall, Katara was there to help without speaking up on her handicap at the moment.

Didn't stop Sokka though. She could feel him gently rub his behind. She smirked. But yeah this place was seriously annoying.

"We're almost at the exit." She heard Katara whisper to her, didn't want to risk those creatures hearing us. The gentle caress of the action sent a small shiver through her spine. Did it all of a sudden get a little hot in here?

She could feel the cool breeze touch at her skin as they left the cavern.

"The building is just a little further up." Katara whispered to her once again. She knew that, the place virtually hummed to her. it was like she could actually 'see' it, but it doesn't mean she had to tell Katara that. She gently squeezed Katara's hand.

Once inside, still haven't been seen yet, she froze in her steps. The place was huge, like a giant labyrinth. It was like the vibrations were coming off of everything, she could she the entire structure like it was imprinted into her mind.

"What's wrong Toph?" Aang asked. What was wrong was the fact she could practically see those creatures too, and there's a large group coming their way.

"We need to go, now." She went off sprinting, already setting a course out in her mind that will lead them to where they need to go and hopefully not be seen.

After a while of running she realized that getting to their destination was going to be much harder. It only had one hallway that led to the area where those things were coming from.

Hiding in an unused hallway she discussed her plan of attack.

"Ok, this is what we do. These pillars here, made of rock… I think. Aang and Toph will use them as rams to force our way in." Sokka finished. After everyone voiced they're understanding, both Aang and her tore a pillar each from the wall and quickly ran it down the adjacent hallway and rammed it into creature after creature. They let out an unnatural horrid scream as they came into contact with the pillars. When they made it she hurled her pillar down the hallway, followed by Aang, to keep the creatures from coming back to soon.

As soon as they entered the room she felt a wave of hate, malice, scorn, and a bunch of other strong negative feelings wash over her. It all originated from that thing pulsing on the floor. Its deformed shaped stretching as another of those creatures tried tearing its way into existence. She gagged at the 'sight' but it wasn't a time to waste, a lot more of those Horexes were heading their way and more was trying to come out of that blob in the middle of the floor. In an almost synchronized pattern, Aang and her ripped out portions of the pillars around them and started beating it against the substance until it stopped pulsing.

Everything grew still in the room. The creatures stopped moving, the room stopped humming, and everything was still. The creatures started screaming and then nothing.

"I think we did it." Sokka uttered, breaking the silence.

"What happened to those things?" she asked after awhile.

"They…vanished." Katara answered, sounding a bit unsure of the outcome. That's when she 'saw' it. A faint humming, coming from the middle of the room, outlining a man as he fell to his knees. She heard the others gasp, apparently they could she it too.

"Something really isn't right here." Aang proclaimed as the figure vanished. As soon as it did the whole place started to tremble.

"You think Korin forgot to tell us something?" Sokka said sarcastically.

* * *

They made it out. They place didn't collapse, just stilled after awhile. Of course when Sokka went to check out the inside again, he said there was nothing there.

"Well, mission accomplished." Sokka said as the group started back to the cavern.

"It doesn't feel like it." Aang said, sadness tinting his words. "I mean you saw that guy back in there, it looked like he…was lost."

"C'mon, it was probably the place and stress of today playing tricks on our minds." Sokka tried to reassure, himself included.

She stopped. Everything was starting to still again.

"There's more coming." She said seriously. Everyone stopped.

"We're surrounded." Katara spoke up a couple of moments later.

"How many?" she asked. She was starting to get really worried.

"I don't know…countless." Ok now she was getting scared. If there was that many and she couldn't feel them, she was only a burden.

Refusing to let that happen, she tore a chunk of the earth out and hurled it behind her. she smiled as she heard one of those things howl in pain as it was hit as she felt the rock land a little distance off.

"We need to clear a path into the cavern." Sokka said a little tight lipped.

**_Ok, what to do? I can't feel th…but I could feel the rock land_**! Smiling as an idea came to her she said, "Leave it to me." With that said she turned to the direction of the cavern. Breathing deeply and raising her arms under apparent strain, she caused a thick dust cloud to cover an area between them and the entrance of their escape.

She could feel the particles of dirt hit the ground as they ran into something solid, those creatures, forming an outline in her mind.

Her smile grew wider as her plan worked. She may not be able to feel them but she can still feel everything else.

She started off by raising wall after wall of earth and rock and shoved them into the charging crowed. She was soon joined in by Aang as they rushed forward through the small opening they forced to have among the throng of creatures.

As soon as they got inside the giant hole in the ground Aang and her raised up and sealed the entrance with the ground. They also raised more rock as they kept walking along just to be safe.

"I'm starting to think they didn't really need us." Sokka said as they made their way deeper into the cavern.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked.

"Well you saw it back there, there were to many of them in one area. It was like a suicide mission or something." Katara picked up this time, "It could be that our bending is really that great of an advantage." "Maybe," Toph began, "but it's like you said, it's harder to bend here."

"Really?" Aang asked surprisingly, "Because it's much easier for me."

"Well I guess it kinda makes a little sense now." Sokka began again, "They asked for the avatar's help because he gets more powerful and we're here because we were with Aang at the time."

"Yeah but I still want to know what happened I the tower," Said Aang, "and I need to know where or what this place is because I don't think you guys could actually be here and with our physical bodies."

"You didn't ask this before why?" she asked a little harshly.

"Well it never occurred to me. I mean we're here and ok so I never gave it much thought until this whole tower incident." They continued to walk in silence, lost in their thoughts and doubts.

* * *

"You made it back." Korin greeted the group as they exited the cavern, "Successful I hope?"

"Yes," Aang began as he spoke in a tone that demanded attention, "but I want to know what I succeeded in. I want to know now!" Everyone paused as they waited for Korin to speak.

"Very well Avatar. Follow me and you shall have your answers." They all started to follow behind him. Answers only a few steps away.

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**AN: **oh look, new chap. Done faster…..probably won't happen to much. Anyway hope you guys enjoy reading this. Also the story, I think anyways, will probably get more complicated and better in later chapters 'cause that's where I mapped out most of the story and I'm trying to get there in an enjoyable read along the way. Oh well again thanx for reading, means a lot. Well till next time.


	5. Chapter 5: WIP

Welll heres an minorish type of update, to show that I have been working on it for sometime...and then put it off for other stuff -.-

so heres a preview of whats to come and hopefully its enough for now to keep people happy. And that i'm sooner or later going to redo the entire story, probably when I get the whole story done for a once around.

Disclaimer: not mine, but if only.

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(**Toph**)-(just a reminder this story is through her eyes mainly.)

To say she was irritated was an understatement. She had been wandering around a vast openness of nothing. Nothing but dirt and more dirt. Sure she preferred good solid land over pretty much anything else but when you're stuck out here with your sweat being the only water source around, well what she wouldn't give to drown in a lake.

She'd been out here for days. She first started off highly upset at being sent out here alone and tried to deny that she would be stuck out here forever. She even tried rationalizing that they, being those pompous wind bags of 'spirits', would realize their mistake and promptly send her somewhere hospitable. But as time went by she was slowly coming to accept the ever growing fact that she, Toph, would die out here. Alone. The alone part is what was really getting to her. No dramatics either, just wasting away.

'Aw the hell with this.' She thought bitterly. If she was going to die she might as well leave a mark. So she began to raise as much earth around her to create the greatest tomb anyone would ever see. Well she would have if not half way through the process the ground under her feet, after several miles of up heavel, suddenly gave way and she found her self falling. 'Well this sucks' She let out a aggravated sigh as she realized she was probably not going to walk away from this one to well.

Imagine her surprise when she was engulfed in a coolness that surrounded her entire body, oh and that she just inhaled a lot of water out of shock from not splattering against some rock bed. Struggling to find up, she swam around frantically before her head broke the surface of the water. After several heaves and heavy breathing she let herself gently float around a little, giving her a chance to calm her racing heart. Who knew she'd actually get her wish.

After she calmed down and waiting for the after to still around her she gently splashed the water and waited until a ripple made its way back to her letting her know that land was close by. She paddled her way over and was relived at the contact her fingers made with solid rock. She laid flat on her back after she hauled herself out of the water and reflected on the fact that she may actually make it out of this alive. And when she meets up with those, those…asses, she was going to give them the beating of their lives. That line of thought reminded her of why she was in this situation to begin with. Aang got his answers alright but they didn't solve anything and just created more problems. went on about duty and saving us from ourselves, what arrogant ass. 'Bringing everyone to a state of contempt' he said. Like she knew what the hell he was going on about, all high and mighty and full of himself. Of course before anymore questions could be raised she could hear the world around her still and the sound around her vacuum into silence and her body being tugged around before she found herself laying in the middle of nowhere. Which brings her to now.


End file.
